1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to screens for shale shakers, supports for such screens, shale shakers with such screens, and methods of using such supports, screens, and shakers; and in particular aspects, to a screen assembly which is releasably mounted on a shaker with a plurality of releasable fasteners which extend through the screen assembly and to a shale shaker with one or more such screen assemblies.
2. Description of Related Art
Vibratory separators are used in a wide variety of industries to separate materials such as liquids from solids or solids from solids. Typically such separators have a basket or other screen holding or mounting apparatus mounted in or over a receiving receptacle or tank and vibrating apparatus for vibrating the basket. One or more screens is mounted in the basket. Material to be treated is introduced to the screen(s) either by flowing it directly onto the screen(s) or by flowing it into a container, tank, or xe2x80x9cpossum bellyxe2x80x9d from which it then flows to the screen(s). Also in some multi-screen apparatuses material flows from an upper screen onto a lower screen.
The prior art discloses a variety of mounting systems and apparatuses for releasably mounting a screen assembly to a shale shaker. These include drawbar and hookstrip apparatuses; inflatable device systems; wedge systems; e.g. the systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,128 issued Jan. 30, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,925 issued Feb. 28, 1995; U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,054 issued Nov. 21, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,597 issued Apr. 15, 1986; and in the prior art referred to in each of these references.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a prior art shale shaker 1 has a screen 2 (with screen or screening cloth or mesh as desired) mounted on vibratable screen mounting apparatus or xe2x80x9cbasketxe2x80x9d 3. The screen 2 may be any known screen or screens. The basket 3 is mounted on springs 4 (only two shown; two as shown are on the opposite side) which are supported from a frame 6. The basket 3 is vibrated by a motor 5 and interconnected vibrating apparatus 8 which is mounted on the basket 3 for vibrating the basket and the screens. Elevator apparatus 7 provides for raising and lowering of the basket end.
FIG. 6 discloses an example of a prior art shaker system (e.g. as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,645 incorporated fully herein for all purposes). The system A has a shale shaker K having a screen or screens S. The screen(s) S are mounted in a typical shaker basket B and one or more vibrators V (any known suitable shaker vibrator) vibrate the basket B and hence the screen(s) S. The other components of the system A are as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,645.
There is a need, recognized by the present inventors, for an efficient and effective screen support and screen assembly for a shale shaker. There is a need, recognized by the present inventors, for an efficient and cost-effective screen support and screens with such a support that are easily installed and which are easily repairable. There has long been a need for a relatively light weight screen assembly which can be easily handled and manipulated manually by personnel. There has long been a need, recognized by the present inventors, for a screen assembly none of whose portions is blocked by parts of a support frame beneath screening material; and for such a screen assembly which is easily plugged for repair.
The present invention discloses, in at least certain aspects, a support for a screen or screen assembly for a shale shaker, the support with screening material thereon. Such a support has a body with a plurality of holes therethrough through which are inserted fasteners for releasably holding a screen assembly with such a support to a shale shaker. Corresponding holes are made through screening material for insertion therethrough of the fasteners. Such a support may, according to the present invention, be a strip support with a series of spaced-apart strips or such a support may have a series of perforations or holes across its surface. Either certain of these holes or perforations are used as the holes through which fasteners are inserted or the plate is made so that there is relatively more area and mass around each fastener hole. A shale shaker, in one embodiment according to the present invention (e.g. with basic components as the prior art shakers described or referred to herein) is, according to the present invention, provided with one or more screens with such a support as described herein according to the present invention. Such a shaker has holes in its screen-mounting structure or deck corresponding to the fastener holes in the screen assembly (or assemblies) mounted thereon.
Screens according to certain aspects of the present invention may be made with plastic grids or fused plastic masses with holes, etc. that correspond to the fastener holes, etc. of a support according to the present invention.
The present invention, in one embodiment includes a shale shaker with a frame; a xe2x80x9cbasketxe2x80x9d or screen mounting apparatus in the frame; one or more screen assemblies according to the present invention with supports according to the present invention mounted to the basket; the one or more screen assemblies mounted to the basket with fasteners according to the present invention; basket vibrating apparatus; and a collection tank or receptacle below the basket. In one particular aspect such a shale shaker treats drilling fluid with drilled cuttings, debris, etc. entrained therein.
It is, therefore, an object of at least certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide:
New, useful, unique, efficient, non-obvious screen supports for screen assemblies for shale shakers and methods for using them to separate components of material to be treated thereby.
Such screen supports, and screens therewith, with a plurality of holes for receiving releasable fasteners for releasably connecting such a screen assembly to a shale shaker; and
Such screens made with a plastic with holes, etc. corresponding to the fastener holes, etc. in a screen support according to the present invention; and shale shakers with screens with such supports and fasteners, and methods of their use.
The present invention recognizes and addresses the previously-mentioned problems and long-felt needs and provides a solution to those problems and a satisfactory meeting of those needs in its various possible embodiments and equivalents thereof. To one of skill in this art who has the benefits of this inventions realizations, teachings, disclosures, and suggestions, other purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detail in these descriptions is not intended to thwart this patent""s object to claim this invention no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions of further improvements.